After the strange encounter at the grocery store, I walked back home with my bags full, but my mind elsewhere. The man's intense aura still lingered in my thoughts, and the presence of his bodyguard had stirred up old memories of home—of my father, of the life I had walked away from.
But I shook it off. That wasn't my world anymore.
When I finally reached the apartment, Daniel was sitting on the floor, his back against the couch—the only real furniture we had so far. His phone was in his hands, and from the way his brows were drawn together, I knew he was deep in thought.
I kicked the door shut behind me. "Lost in another conspiracy theory?"
He barely glanced up. "Nah, just reading."
I chuckled, setting the groceries on the counter. "You? Reading? Should I be concerned?"
"Hey, I read," he protested, finally looking up. "Just not the boring stuff you like."
Rolling my eyes, I started unpacking the groceries, pulling out the essentials—bread, eggs, some canned goods. It wasn't much, but it would keep us going for now.
"You hungry?" I asked, glancing over my shoulder.
Daniel stretched, tossing his phone onto the couch. "Starving."
I grabbed a pan and set it on the tiny stove. "Eggs and toast okay?"
"Like I have a choice," he muttered, but there was a smirk on his lips.
As I cooked, the apartment felt a little less empty. The smell of butter and eggs filled the air, and for a moment, it almost felt normal—like we weren't two kids who had just walked away from a life of luxury to start over with nothing.
We ate on the floor, using an overturned box as a makeshift table. It wasn't fancy, but it worked.
As I chewed, my mind wandered. We couldn't live like this forever. The little money I had left wouldn't last long, not if we wanted to properly furnish the apartment and make this place a real home.
I swallowed my last bite and leaned back against the wall. "I need to find a job."
Daniel looked up. "Already?"
I nodded. "We can't just sit around. The money won't stretch itself."
He frowned slightly but didn't argue. Instead, he rubbed the back of his neck. "You sure you want to start working so soon? We just moved in."
"I don't have a choice," I said, pushing my plate aside. "Besides, it's not like I have anything else to do."
Daniel sighed. "Alright. But at least try to find something that won't drive you insane."
I snorted. "No promises."
With that, I grabbed my phone and started scrolling through job listings. I had no idea what kind of work I'd end up doing, but one thing was certain—I was ready to take the next step.